Wings
by Jonouchi-Kaiba-Mokie
Summary: On a quest to find what went wrong Reno must learn the difference between loyalty and stupidity. Sephiroth/Reno


Title: Wings  
Author: JKM  
Rating: PG-13  
Pairing: Sephiroth/Reno  
Warnings: Character death (or presumed)  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 7 does not belong to me, I'm just playing with Nomura's characters.  
Summary: On a quest to find what went wrong Reno must learn the difference between loyalty and stupidity.

Note: Most of the dialogue for this chapter is from Before Crisis, translation courtesy of Gunshot Romance

_Subject: Emergency_

_Report to Nibelheim immediately for your_

_next assignment. Don't waste time._

Green eyes closed for a moment, a gaze locked forward as the chilly breeze of Nibelheim pulled at red hair. He was a Turk so cleaning up this mess was his duty. But when did his duty become to be staying emotionless? He didn't remember anything that had been this painful.

"Tseng, we've gathered all the survivors," Reno said though his mind was distracted. The place was a wasteland, now burned to the ground. Standing before him were Tseng and Hojo and he could feel Rude watching him closely. He knew his partner would try to support him as best he could once they were clear.

"We'll treat them once we've gotten them into the mansion."

Tseng nodded towards them both before glancing towards Reno. There was a reason the Turks and SOLDIER didn't mix and he feared that Reno was going to become proof of that once again. They were Turks though, and comfort was not something they did. "Yeah… I guess so…"

"Hee hee," at the sound Reno jerked his head up, meeting Hojo's gaze. Deep inside the fury began to burn before he reminded himself not to feel. "Aren't the preparations for the mansion done yet?"

He didn't want to answer, especially not answer this madman. Reno knew more than he'd ever tell Hojo, it would be hard not to. But he couldn't think of that now. He was glad for the interruption as he glanced back towards Veld and Leta. If they were here it meant he didn't have to think about this. "Hey, they're back."

"Sir! Leta!"

At that Reno studied Cissnei behind him for a minute. There were many others better at reading facial expressions but he could feel that she was upset. Was it the SOLDIER, Zack?

"Professor Hojo. The mansion is ready."

At that Hojo rubbed his hands together, eyes lighting up in delight. His excitement caused a shiver to travel up Reno's spine, trying to put what he knew out of his mind. "I've been waiting for this… Start bringing the survivors into the mansion."

The hollow feeling was quickly growing deeper. There were some survivors however Sephiroth wasn't one of them. _I think I may leave Shinra. _That was the last thing Sephiroth had said to him before leaving on this mission. Any other man would have pleaded him to stay but Reno wasn't any other man. He knew the dangers of loving a SOLDIER, especially the General. Turks weren't meant to love. As SOLDIERs were meant to fight they were meant to follow orders.

"… all of you. You heard him."

At that Reno gave a nod and moved to the first, kneeling down beside a man. He was no older than his early twenties and he yelled and screamed profanities, cursing Shinra. But Reno had long since stopped feeling anything.

"Hurry it up. I want this operation done fast, just like in Kalm."

Kalm… yet another nightmare but not as horrifying as this was becoming. He had long ago learned just why no one liked the Turks.

"Sir, are the people carried to the mansion going to be…"

There was no answer from Veld and Reno silently berated her. Even now she was still a rookie. She didn't understand that they would never be okay but he had to confirm it. "You're not saying anything?"

"In other words…"

Yes, he had been right. There job wasn't to save them, it was to cover everything up.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill them," unlike with Sephiroth, Reno silently added as Hojo continued on, barely holding still in his excitement. "They're going to become the test samples for my brilliant new ideas. Can't you imagine the possibilities? Hee hee hee…"

Tseng looked about as sick at the idea as Reno felt. This was the type of thing this monster had done to Sephiroth and he would never forgive him for that. "… it's going to look weird if all the townspeople disappear at once."

"That's been taken care of. Shinra employees will rebuild this town and play out the parts of the villagers."

Tseng said nothing as Reno studied him for another moment. He knew they were thinking the same thing about this. They couldn't just let Shinra cover this up.

"Your opinions do not matter," Hojo waved a bony hand dismissively at them. "Just get them into the mansion." With that he left and Reno stared blankly at the man that had been cursing at him, too weak to fight back.

"Sir…"

"This is too dirty," Tseng whispered as he shook his head.

"Can't keep doing stuff like this, you know," the pain hadn't gone away and neither had the guilt about what he was going to do to the man he was holding. He was a Turk, he wasn't supposed to feel, but he did. Sephiroth had made him and now left him.

"… all right. You don't have to do anything." Tseng and the others turned to stare at him for a minute. "I'll handle everything here. Reno, on the way back I need your report. You can tell it to the tape."

There was a brief nod in response as he turned around, walking away. It was like a kick to the gut, having just abandoned those people to lives of being tortured. He might as well have been the one that had created Sephiroth. The others slowly left but Reno stood in silence, his mind running. He knew he had to leave but he didn't want to. He needed to go back to the reactor where this all happened. His burial place.

Hunching his shoulders he grabbed his EM rod and began the long trek up the mountains. He had to see it one last time.

The hike had been tiring but it had felt good. Now he had to face everything. Stepping in he sighed and then walked towards Jenova's chamber. The creature still remained in its watery grave. It wasn't dead no matter how he might wish it.

"You took him from me," his voice was a whisper, worn and tired. This monster had taken Sephiroth from him, never to have him again.

Hands curled over the rail as he glanced down, staring down into the reactor. He had come here just in time only to see Sephiroth jump into the reactor. He had seen the look on his face, the sudden understanding and then the insanity took hold once again. He had watched him die and now, standing there in silence the tears finally escaped. They dripped slowly down his cheeks as he sunk to the ground. He was a Turk; he should be stronger than this. Always he had learned never to cry but now he couldn't stop it. A sound of absolute pain escaped his lips as he pressed his face against the cool metal.

Why did he have to suffer so much? When he had finally thought he had found something, a place to call a home and a person to call a family, he had lost it all. But he still had the Turks.

"Reno?"

At that he quickly turned, getting to his feet. "Sir," he quickly said, addressing Veld.

"We can either do this here or back at the Shinra building."

He glanced around and then gave a nod. "Let's do it here," he waited for Veld to turn on the recorder. "I received information from Tseng-" at that he was cut off.

"No Reno, start from the very beginning."


End file.
